Jun 26, 2008

Antro Solo 150 mpg hybrid unites the Flintstones and Jetsons

The Antro Solo gas-electric hybrid is an interesting blend of space age chic and primitive technologies. It's got an array of solar panels along the top of the vehicle to power it's electric motor, and yet both passengers in the three-seater also have a pair of pedals in front of them, which they can use to help give the motor a boost — or keep the car gas efficient on a gray day. The interior cabin is curious, as well, as it sits both passengers on either side of the driver, with the driver taking the center seat.

Quirky or not, the Antro Solo performs: it's light, carbon fiber chassis keeps it's weight down at 600 pounds, and it can zip along at over 80 mph while getting a whopping 150 mpg. That means you could drive from New York City to Los Angeles on a little less than 19 gallons of gas. It stores its solar energy in batteries to keep the car juiced, though, so it'll probably serve you better on short runs. If you import one from its native Budapest, Hungary, that is. The vehicle is a prototype right now, but its developers expect it to hit the road in 2012 for the not-so-hybrid price of $18,000.